Thoughts
by nogigglingmajor
Summary: “Hey, we’re supposed to be a team here... what’s mom gonna say when she comes home and finds us both awake?”


**AN:** Just love the image of John cradling a baby, especially because he's so used to being on his own with a team, not something so completely dependent on him. Sigh

Thoughts

John peered through the curtains at the busy street below, before looking back at the bundle in his arms.

"Hey, we're supposed to be a team here, I cover for you, you cover for me. What's mom gonna say when she comes home and finds us both awake?" The baby, while content, looked at him with wide eyes that showed no signs of tiredness. John grimaced, "well she won't so much care that I'm awake as much as she will you being so." Elizabeth had been called out to emergency negotiations over 3 hours ago, leaving John with their 5-month-old daughter, Amelia. She gurgled at him and John had to smile. "Ok we'll play, but remember this was your idea." He looked towards the TV but stopped. _"It's too much on her eyes, she's too young."_ Elizabeth would kill him if he watched it with Amelia. "Let's find something to do."

"Vrooooom, Vroooooom, beep beep!" John was lying on his back on the mat in Amelia's nursery driving toy cars across his chest, much to the delight of his still very awake daughter. She hit his chest and squealed, while he laughed and shushed her.

"You know, the whole reason you need to sleep is so that your mom and I can sleep, daddy's got work in the morning and your mom is going to be very tired when she gets back." _Though that won't stop her getting mad at me for letting you stay up._ "Let's go watch the traffic."

Sitting out on the balcony in the warm breeze seemed to sooth Amelia and she lay contently against her father's chest. John and Elizabeth's apartment was high enough that the traffic was a distant rumble and in was in these quiet, still moments that John's thought's focused solely on the life in his arms._ You are completely dependent on me, for everything right now. Food, warmth, protection – that's a pretty terrifying thought kiddo._ In the months leading up to the birth of their daughter both John and Elizabeth had had fears, though John was so preoccupied with calming Elizabeth he'd kept his buried, and when Amelia had been born they'd unleashed as a dark cloud. _He'd never forget the look on his wife's face as their baby was placed in her arms, complete adoration and love, first at Amelia and then she raised her eyes to his and his heart had stopped. They were filled with utter calm and trust that he could look after them while she allowed herself this moment of vulnerability._ John swallowed roughly and tightened his arms around his daughter; he was scared, he admitted. It wasn't just him he had to look out for now, but a family, and it was pure instinct to want to protect them, though he knew Elizabeth was perfectly capable herself, and would definitely argue the point should she hear his thoughts. He pressed his lips gently on Amelia's head, and smiled when he saw she'd fallen asleep. Not wanting to let go though, he lent back on the chair and waited for Elizabeth to come home.

"John?" Elizabeth was exhausted, 7 hours of negotiating to prevent war from erupting in Africa, not that there wasn't war there already, but it really didn't need any more fuel. Dropping her keys and jacket on the bench she checked first her and John's room and then the nursery.

"Out here Liz." She smiled when she saw him slouched in the chair with Amelia tucked up on his chest.

"Have you been out here long?" She greeted with a kiss.

"Only a little while, Miss here didn't want to go to sleep so we had a chat about you being mad at me if she didn't sleep and I think we came to an agreement." Elizabeth laughed and knelt down next to him to gently kiss the sleeping baby. "She's so small."

"She's 5months John!" He shrugged.

"She's still small."

"Well she didn't feel it at the time, let me tell you." John smiled and pulled his wife closer.

"How did the talks go? Did you manage to prevent a world disaster?" Elizabeth nodded. "Always knew you would." He moved around so Elizabeth could sit on his lap. She sighed as she snuggled up to him.

"And I always knew you could look after her." John stared at her, and she smiled reassuringly. "You're doing fine." There it was, that calmness in her eyes and John knew everything would be just as she said.

**AN:** Was it sweet? Too sweet? Tell me


End file.
